It’s sad news that Kurt Albert died. His definition of red point (Rotpunkt) has had an amazing influence on climbing. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, never in the history of climbing have so many climbers owed so much to so few words. And as Albert emphasized it was a definition not a statement of morality. The brilliance of the definition lay in its simplicity and its ease of understanding and to its cogency to crag climbing as a discipline in its own right as distinct from mountaineering. Of course, Albert went on to extend his concept of “free climbing” to high peaks around the world. There are few who can match the influence he had on the development of the sport.

One can’t help but note the irony of his fatal accident being on a via ferrata, apparently guiding tourists. It will be of interest to learn more of the details of this accident.

You helped inspire me in my early climbing years... it was that famous picture of Albert holding the pint of beer in that old Salewa ad, which I put up on my wall, that helped make me realise that anything is possible... at the time they were the two things that made me tick; climbing and beer!

According to the police Report paraphrased in the latest "klettern" (german climbing magazine), the cause of the accident was an "unlocked" locking Biner that separated from the sling. According to witnesses, Kurt wanted to sit in his harness and fell, with the sling in his hand. The Biner stayed on the Cable.

Personally, (as well as others in german climbing Forums) i think the failure mode points to a Biner with rubber on a long sling, similar to what is demonstrated in this video. I fail to see how a simply unlocked biner can separate from the sling, an then stay on the cable.

According to the police Report paraphrased in the latest "klettern" (german climbing magazine), the cause of the accident was an "unlocked" locking Biner that separated from the sling. According to witnesses, Kurt wanted to sit in his harness and fell, with the sling in his hand. The Biner stayed on the Cable.

Personally, (as well as others in german climbing Forums) i think the failure mode points to a Biner with rubber on a long sling, similar to what is demonstrated in this video. I fail to see how a simply unlocked biner can separate from the sling, an then stay on the cable.

Do you know if he was simply using a girth hitched sling, or a via ferrata set? Via ferrata sets have 2 carabiners, so in that case, had he not clipped both?

According to the police Report paraphrased in the latest "klettern" (german climbing magazine), the cause of the accident was an "unlocked" locking Biner that separated from the sling. According to witnesses, Kurt wanted to sit in his harness and fell, with the sling in his hand. The Biner stayed on the Cable.

Personally, (as well as others in german climbing Forums) i think the failure mode points to a Biner with rubber on a long sling, similar to what is demonstrated in this video. I fail to see how a simply unlocked biner can separate from the sling, an then stay on the cable.

Do you know if he was simply using a girth hitched sling, or a via ferrata set? Via ferrata sets have 2 carabiners, so in that case, had he not clipped both?

Sorry, as of now, thats all the detail I have, (translated from german to english). But yeah, regardless of ferrata set or not, Rest on TWO Points!